I'm Already There
by NotYetLostFaith
Summary: Rick's on a book tour and is feeling the pressure of not being home with his family. A continuation of sorts to 'Hey There, Lilah' based on Lonestar's I'm Already There. ONESHOT


Kate held the receiver tight against her ear before breathing a 'hello?' into it, hoping and praying that it was him.

"Hey, Gorgeous." His deep, sleep roughened voice filled every crevice that had been empty since his departure a month ago. Kate breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hi, Handsome." She forced levity into his voice. "How's London?" She heard him sigh and felt her heart go out to him.

"It's alright. Fans are responsive so that's good. Two of them asked how you and the kids were." Almost as if he could feel her apprehension he continued, "Neither of them asked by name, just inane curiosity. I did however make sure Gina had their names just in case." Kate nodded.

"Good." She could almost hear him smile.

"How are the kids?" Kate looked through the office doorway to the living room where their children were playing happily.

"They're good." She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "They miss you." Rick couldn't help but wipe away the tear falling down his cheek as he heard the sounds of his babies playing.

"Who's that?" He heard his youngest daughter ask through the phone. Kate cupped the back of their daughter's head before talking back into the phone.

"You up for talking to her?" She murmured out of their child's hearing. Rick cleared his throat.

"Always." Kate smiled before turning back to their five year old in her lap.

"It's daddy, you wanna say hello?" The little girl nodded enthusiastically and took the phone from her mother as Kate held her safely against her chest.

"Hi daddy." Lilah beamed making Rick's heart all the lighter despite the miles between them.

"Hey Honey Comb," he smiled back, "you and Billy being good for mommy?" Lilah nodded dramatically, not quite understanding that he couldn't see her.

"Momma says we have to be good then you'll bring us back something." Rick chuckled. Kate knew full well that he always picked all three kids up something from every city he visited, but it was a good technique to keep his two hyper under-six's in line without his support.

"That's right. Momma's very smart and always right, remember?" His baby girl giggled.

"I 'member." Lilah sighed that baby soft sigh. "Daddy, when you coming home?" Rick sighed before saying the only thing he could think of to stop that horrid tremor in Lilah's voice.

"I'm already there." He heard movement, knowing his inquisitive, destined to be a detective daughter would now be looking around her for his face.

"No you're not." She insisted, but he'd piqued her curiosity, he could hear it in the slight questioning tone of her voice.

"Baby, take a look around. I'm there with you. I'm the sunshine that plays with your hair and makes it look like honey, I'm the shadow that walks beside you, I'm that whisper in the wind when you feel alone, I'm your imaginary friend. And I know I'm always in your prayers. Baby I'm already there, because I never left you. I'll never leave you Honey Comb." Lilah sighed again.

"Miss you daddy." Rick nodded to himself, trying to hold back the tears.

"I miss you too Angel. Now, I'll say goodnight so you can go play and I can say goodnight to Momma."

"Night daddy." His sweet little girl kissed the phone before scampering off. Kate cleared her throat and cradled the phone back to her ear.

"You're a good daddy." She murmured thickly. Rick scoffed.

"Despite the fact I'm never there?" Kate sighed.

"Not long now, Baby." He sighed deeply.

"I really miss you, Darling." Kate hummed her agreement, not trusting her voice while she listened to the tears in his. "I wish you were here. I wish I could hold you close, just lie beside you."

"I do too Rick." Kate murmured. "But we'll see each other in our dreams tonight. And you'll hold me, and I will kiss you ever so gently, caress your skin with my finger tips. I'm there Rick. Turn out the light and close your eyes." She instructed. She heard the sheets shuffle as he did as she asked. "Can't you feel me? I'm already there." Rick sighed, curling around one of his pillows, holding it to his chest while the other hand held the phone to his ear.

"Kate..." he started.

"Shhh, don't make a sound. Just listen. I'm there Rick, right beside you. I'm in your heartbeat, in the moonlight shining through your window, I'm that whisper in the wind when _you_ feel lonely. I'll be there till the end Rick. We could be a thousand miles apart, but I'm right there beside you Rick, always." She heard his breathing stutter in tandem to his own.

"I love you so much Kate." She smiled gently, wishing more than anything she could wipe away his tears.

"I love you more." She murmured. Rick chuckled thickly.

"I love you most." Kate felt her heart swell and break for him at the pure emotion leaking from his voice. "Goodnight my Angel."

"Sweet dreams my Love."

* * *

A week later, Kate gently lowered their sleeping eighteen month old son into his crib, having already put their daughter to bed with one of Rick's recorded stories from when she was little. Billy wriggled in his sleep, mouth suckling before his eyes fluttered open. Kate sighed, her little dada's boy was a nightmare to get to sleep without him there.

"Dada?" The toddler asked sleepily. Kate barely had the resolve not to just cry.

"He'll be home soon baby boy, so _very_ soon." She sighed deeply, relief flooding her veins as Billy floated back off to sleep. She turned to leave the nursery before stopping dead at what she saw in the doorway. She paused for a full ten seconds before flying into his arms. Rick held her close and breathed her in for a moment before he could say a word.

"I'm already there."


End file.
